Related Articles

A human rights group says 19 people were killed when Syrian warplanes dropped cluster bombs, which are banned under a U.N. treaty. Amnesty International said Saturday the attack Friday in the northern town of Aleppo wounded more than 60 people.

An Amnesty official on the scene reported that nine Soviet-made cluster bombs, each carrying up to 150 cluster submunitions, were dropped on a heavily populated area.

Cluster bombs can potentially kill many civilians. Syria is among the countries that have not signed a 2010 U.N. treaty banning their use.

In other news, Syrian activists said a fierce battle on the outskirts of the northern city of Raqa killed dozens of Syrian troops and rebel fighters. The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturday the clashes caused many people to flee.

Also Saturday, Syria and its ally, Iran, accused the United States of applying double standards for offering to provide aid to the rebels.

On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced $60 million in extra aid to the Syrian opposition and, for the first time, non-lethal aid to some of its rebels trying to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.

In Geneva, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met for talks with international peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi. The two later said in a statement the United Nations is willing to broker peace talks between Syria's government and the opposition.

Both men also expressed frustration at the failure of the international community to end the fighting in Syria. An estimated 70,000 people have died in the 23-month-long conflict.

Mixed-race comedian Trevor Noah, who is loved for his edgy jibes about race and language, is taking the helm from Jon Stewart at The Daily Show in US More

This forum has been closed.

Comment Sorting

Comments

by: Segal Ron from: Israel

March 03, 2013 5:32 PM

Dear Hassan, I too, read your comment, and i must say i found your description of the Arab Israeli conflict very interesting... you likened it to the squabbles of a married couple... maybe a bit too optimistic... but hey, but what do i know... i am just an ordinary fool who gets his information from the media... in any event, like Shai said - be strong Hassan Al Bannah, make sure your family is secure... maybe, who knows, one day your son or his son after him will bring peace to our wounded region... one day... Amen

by: Shai Noga from: Haifa, Israel

March 03, 2013 3:29 PM

Dear Mr Bannah, i read your comment with concern. Please be aware that the great contending forces in Syria, allied to different faction, are far greater than Israel's persuasive appeal to the US could ever be. Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey... each one of these great powers exceeds Israel's advocacy by many orders of magnitude. As you know, we do monitor events in Syria, but believe me when i say we are incompetent to effect the outcome - nor, i am afraid, is the U.S. - in this conflict, we are but minor players

So be strong brother, for God created man in His own image... in the image of Him created He them... equal before His throne of Justice.

by: Hassan Al Bannah from: Syria

March 02, 2013 10:55 PM

America, listen please, $60m for Jabhat Al Nusra is not good for you. i don't believe you understand who you are supporting. Jabhat l Nusra is Al Qaeda - it is Hamas - these people are your sworn enemies. America, Please talk to the Israelis before you give help to Al Nusra. I fought against the Israelis in Lebanon in the 1980, we know them and we respect. Arabs and Israel is like fight inside a marriage in family. America, please ask israel before you make your decision. we know you love Israel and they are really good, know very smart. America, don't make stupid decision

by: Timothy

March 02, 2013 10:50 PM

Tragic in the extreme - however it goes to illustrate that Russiais a key player in the Midle East, supplying weapons and munitions to a host of countries, who in turn use them without hesitation on their population. Africa is no different, perhaps with China and North Korea involvement and others who remain anonymous.

by: James Livingston

March 02, 2013 6:06 PM

Actually a number of nations still use cluster bombs. They include Israel and the US, both nations dropped large numbers of cluster bombs in Southern Lebanon and Iraq respectively in recent years. Nor do I think that either Israel or the US are signatories to said UN treaty either. If so then they ignored it any way.

by: kamil

March 02, 2013 2:56 PM

heartbreaking photo. geopolitical gaming is casing terrible consequences. human sufferings unimaginable. its so sad, one can only pray for them.

At this year's annual South by Southwest film and music festival in Austin, Texas, some musicians from Mali were on hand to promote a film about how their lives were upturned by jihadists who destroyed ancient treasures in the city of Timbuktu and prohibited anyone from playing music under threat of death. As VOA’s Greg Flakus reports from Austin, some are afraid to return to their hometowns even though the jihadists are no longer in control there.

Video

At this year's annual South by Southwest film and music festival in Austin, Texas, some musicians from Mali were on hand to promote a film about how their lives were upturned by jihadists who destroyed ancient treasures in the city of Timbuktu and prohibited anyone from playing music under threat of death. As VOA’s Greg Flakus reports from Austin, some are afraid to return to their hometowns even though the jihadists are no longer in control there.

Video

American warplanes joined Iraq's battle against the so-called 'Islamic State' in northern Iraq late Wednesday, as Iraqi ground troops launched a massive assault on Tikrit. Analysts say the offensive could take the coalition a step further towards Mosul, the largest city held by Islamic State forces. Others say it could also deepen already-dangerous sectarian tensions in the region. VOA's Heather Murdock has more from Cairo.

Video

Tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry in the Philippines. Close to five million foreign visitors traveled there last year, perhaps lured by the country’s tropical beaches. But Jason Strother reports from Manila that the country hopes to entice more travelers to stay indoors and spend money inside new casinos.

Video

The continued fighting in eastern Ukraine and the shelling of civilian neighborhoods seem to be pushing more men to join the separatist fighters. Many of the new recruits are residents of Ukraine made bitter by new grievances, as well as old. VOA's Patrick Wells reports.

Video

Islamic State fighter, a prisoner of Kurdish YPG forces, asked his family asking for forgiveness: "I destroyed myself and I destroyed them along with me." The Syrian youth was one of two detainees who spoke to VOA’s Kurdish Service about the path they chose; their names have been changed and identifying details obscured. VOA's Zana Omer reports.

Video

More is being discovered about the co-pilot in the crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 in the French Alps. Investigators say he was hiding a medical condition, raising questions about the mental qualifications of pilots. VOA's Carolyn Presutti reports.

Video

In cities with heavily congested traffic, people can get around much faster on a motorcycle than in a car. But a rider who is not sure of his route may have to stop to look at the map or consult a GPS. A Russian start-up company is working to make navigation easier for motorcyclists. Designers at Moscow-based LiveMap are developing a smart helmet with a built-in navigation system, head-mounted display and voice recognition. Zlatica Hoke has more.

Video

U.S. federal law enforcement agents arrested two suburban Chicago men accused of trying to join ISIS overseas, while also plotting attacks in the United States. As VOA’s Kane Farabaugh reports from the Midwest state of Illinois, one of those arrested is a soldier of the Illinois National Guard.

Video

Traditional push-rim wheelchairs create a lot of stress for arm, shoulder and neck muscles and joints. A redesigned chair, based on readily available bicycle technology, radically increases mobility while reducing the physical effort. VOA’s George Putic reports.

Video

Beatrice Yardolo was to make history as Liberia’s last Ebola patient. Liberians recently started counting down 42 days, the period that has to go by without a single new infection until the World Health Organization can declare a country Ebola-free. That countdown stopped on March 20 when there was another new case of Ebola, making Yardolo’s story a reminder that Ebola is far from over. Benno Muchler reports from Monrovia.

Video

Indigenous communities in Cambodia's Ratanakiri province say the government’s economic land concession policy is taking away their land and traditional way of life, making many fear that their identity will soon be lost. Local authorities, though, have denied this is the case. VOA's Say Mony went to investigate and filed this report, narrated by Colin Lovett.

Video

One of the films that drew big crowds last week at the annual South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, tells the story of the last human being to stand on the moon, U.S. astronaut Eugene Cernan. It has been 42 years since Cernan returned from the moon and he laments that no one else has gone there since. VOA’s Greg Flakus reports.